Electric announcer.



No. 692,867. Pat entedTeb. u, I902.

m. LEHMAN. v ELECTRIC ANNUUNCER.

[Application filed Julie 8, 1901.) (No Model.)

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UN TED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE,

MARTINYLEHMAN, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

'ELEcTmeANNouNoER.

swimmer forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,867, dated February 11,1902.

Application flled June 3, 1901. Serial No. 635035. (No model.)

flo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN LEHMAN, a cit-izen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, State of Missouri, have invented a new anduseful Electric Announcer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signs; and my object isto provide an apparatus especially adapted for use in theaters forannouncing acts, the names of the actors, &c., and in practice two areplaced at the opposite sides of the proscenium-arch in full View of theaudience.

The chief features of the invention may be said to reside in atranslucent screen having a picture or design, a box provided with aseries of compartments,over the front of which said screen is placed,opaque slides having holes or openings therein in the form of dis-l playor advertising symbols ,and incandescent lamps arranged in independentseries in each of the compartments, so that one or more of the lattermay be illuminated at will;

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the invention, showing the picture on the translucentscreen. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the picture obscured and theadvertising or display symbols in View. Fig. 3 is a front elevation,partly in section, showing a number of the compartments in the box. Fig.4 is an enlarged broken cross-section taken on line IV IV of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of one of the slides for holding theopaque card. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the opaque cardscontaining the dis- Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electriccircuits. s t

In constructing my invention I employ an ornamental frame 1, inclosing atranslucent screen 2, having a picturepainted on its outer surface,which is visible when the light is strongest 'at the front and obscuredby an excess of light from the rear. Said frame is hinged or otherwisesuitably secured to the front or open side of a box 3, divided byhorizontal partitions 4 into compartments 5, ar-

partitions and top and bottom of the box are provided with parallelstrips 7,v forming grooves 8, adapted to receive slides 9, each of whichconsists of a translucent wire screen number of pairsof. slides 9' andare slipped into position in their respective grooves through slots 14in one side of the box until the front openings of all the compartmentsare closed.

Secured to the upper Walls of thecompartments are incandescent lamps 15,connected in series to branch wires 16, Whose circuits are controlled byswitches 17 ,so that each series may be illuminated or darkenedindependently of the other. The branch wires are connected to afeed-wire 18, which receives its current from a battery 20. Said currentis controlled by a main switch 21, so that all of the lights may besimultaneously cut out or turned on when switches 17 are closed.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isi 1. In an advertising or display apparatus,the combination of a box containing lighttight compartments, electricbulbs located in said compartments, individual circuits including thebulb in each compartment, a switch in each circuit, a translucent screenhaving a single picture or design over the entire front of said box, anda plurality of opaque slides having holes or openings formedtherein inthe shape of advertising or display symbols, said slides beingindependently and removably interposed between the electric bulbs andthe screen, all as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an advertising or display apparatus, the combination with a boxcontaining lighttight compartments, electric bulbs located in saidcompartments, and a translucent screen having a picture or design overthe front of In testimony whereof i have signed my said box; of aslide-carrier removably located name to this specification in thepresence of IO between the electric bulbs and the screen and twosubscribing witnesses.

composed of two pieces of Wire-gauze within h w p p 5 a frame ofgalvanized iron and an opaque MARrl IN LEHMAN' slide between the gauzepieces having display- Vitnesses:

openings cut therein and covered with colored LOUIS WAYLAND SI-IOUSE,

tissue, all as and for the purpose set forth. ALVIN F. WERBE.

